Speaking during a meeting with the French community residing in Morocco, Bergé emphasized that the state visit by President Emmanuel Macron at the invitation of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in October 2024 marked a new milestone in the strategic partnership between the two countries.
She stressed the shared ambition to renew and reinvigorate this relationship, based on trust, mutual respect, and solidarity, noting that “the Mediterranean is not a border but a link,” and that “Africa, where Morocco plays a central role, is at the heart of 21st-century global challenges.”
She recalled the importance of human and cultural exchanges between the two countries, pointing out that over 43,000 students are currently enrolled in French institutions in Morocco, 70% of whom are Moroccan nationals, while more than 45,000 Moroccan students are pursuing higher education in France, representing the largest foreign student group in French universities.
On the economic front, Bergé praised the strength of the partnership between France and Morocco, reflected in trade exchanges totaling nearly €15 billion. She said that over 1,000 French companies operate in the Kingdom, employing around 150,000 Moroccans.
She also referred to the signing last October of 40 agreements totaling €11 billion, including €6.3 billion in French investments, covering key sectors such as infrastructure, energy, agriculture, culture, and civil security.
In this context, she highlighted the strategic synergies between the two countries, calling for stronger economic inclusion, especially by promoting female talent. She welcomed the fact that Morocco currently trains proportionally more female engineers than France, considering this model to be one of performance and resilience.
Bergé also emphasized Morocco’s central role in feminist diplomacy, praising the Kingdom’s accession last May to the Coalition for Feminist Foreign Policy, alongside Slovenia, as part of an initiative co-chaired by France and Colombia.
Finally, she recalled that Morocco is now the leading global partner of the French Development Agency (AFD), with over 400 million euros in annual commitments, reflecting a shared commitment to building a sustainable, fair, and inclusive future.
In a statement to MAP, the Ambassador of the French Republic to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, stressed that the bilateral relationship, as envisioned by His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron, is being built around several complementary pillars. He noted that some of these aim to enhance synergies on proactive topics such as industrialization, energy, training, and the joint development of Sub-Saharan Africa.
The ambassador also underscored the importance of ongoing dialogue around shared values, particularly on issues of equality, anti-discrimination, and women’s place in society, adding that Bergé’s visit to Morocco is fully in line with this momentum, through meetings with political officials, economic stakeholders, and civil society actors in Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech.
Editorial team/le7tv